Reigning the realms of recruitment in Australia is Collar Talent Group. With a dynamic and forward-thinking approach to recruitment, Collar has officialy solidified its position as Australia’s fastest growing recrutment agency. They harness the best technology stack in the industry and a wealth of experience to provide top quality recruitment service tailored to meet specific client needs.
Driven by unwavering values and commitment to Customer satisfaction, the leaders at Collar Talent Group cross pollinate knowledge with clients and strategic partners to enable growth and innovation through the power of thought leadership.
The CEO Views is pleased to recognize Collar Talent Group on the cover of this issue, leading the list for “Thought Leadership Award 2023.” We interacted with Ephram Stephenson, CEO of Collar Talent Group to gain insights into the company.
Ephram Stephenson is an exceptional visionary leader and a veteran of the recruitment industry. Entrepreneurship Was always on the cards for Ephram Throughout his career, he founded twelve recrutment agencies and eleven of them are still going strong today.
It all started eighteen years back when Ephram took a leap of faith and established his very first recruitment agency right from the comfort of his home. That humble beginning eventually led to offices in every state in Australian cities and even in London today.
Tale of Inception
Drawing from his profound expertise and extensive experience in bulding successful agencies, Ephram Stephenson has managed to give Collar Talent Group a unique edge. The story behind Collar Talent Group’s creation is both personal and meaningful to him Personal interest and love for his little one, drove Ephram to venture into the new business.
“Back in late July 2021, I was already an investor in another thriving recruiting firm. However, everything changed when my wife and I received the joyous news that we were expecting our first child. In that moment, |knew I wanted to leave behind a legacy for my little one, and so, I made the life-changing decision to step away from my current investment and founded Collar Talent Group the very next day” proudly states Ephram Collar Talent Group is not an ordinary recrutment agency, the company is driven by the motto “Recruit a Better Way.” This phrase isn’t just empty words; it’s gn9 pinciple deeply ingrained in the company Ephram shares, “We believe in delivering on our promises, avoiding mere lip-service’ Consistency and conmmitment are at the core of everything we do, ensuring that our actions always align with our words.”
The Unwavering Journey of Collar Talent Group
Driven by a deep-rooted purpose, Collar Talent Group empowers personal growth and creates a collaborative environment where people can thrive and find true happiness in their career. With over 400 years of combined experience in he industry, the company is dedicated to delivering an unparalleled, remarkable experience to clients and candidates.
Collar Talent Group is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company and in the wider community through their Equal Opportunity and Diversity strategy. The company has implemented cultural awareness training, inclusion workshops, and mentoring services, which are provided by kylie Taylor, the Collar Group Aboriginal and Diversity Consultant and Christine Coppin, the Diversity and Inclusion Consul tant Both consultants offer trairing and workshops for Collar staff, current clients, and prospective clients to promote a diverse and inclusive workplace. Collar has also es tablished an Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander Incl usion workshop to promote cultural inclusivity in the workplace and educate staff on cultural differences, safety, and cohesion.
True Thought Leadership: Innovation to Drive Positive Change
True Thought Leadership encompasses several key aspects. It involves presernting unique perspectives and innovatve solutions to indstry challenges Ephram believes it’s about thinking outside the box, pioneering new approaches, and challenging conventional wisdom to drive positive change. True thought leadership should inspire action, influence decision-makers, and lead to improvements in hiring practices, talent management and organizational Success.
Approach to Thought Leadership
Companies that embrace thought leadership go past the traditional ways of doing things and think differently. Collar Group’s approach to thought leadership involves:
Content Creation and Social Media Engagement Thought leadership includes sharing valuable insights, knowledge, and expertise with target audiences. So, at Collar Talent Group, the team creates and distributes content in the form of blog posts, articles, Linkedin posts, case studies, and even video content They publish recruitment related polls, hiring best practices, and even interview tips online and on social media platformns to increase target audience engagement and reach a broader audience.
Webinars and Events. Being an industry leader himself, Ephramn is passionate about sharing his career wins and experience at webinars and industry events. He is a regular guest speaker at industry events and is considered by many to be one of Australia’s leading recruitment experts. Ephram along with the rest of the Collar cohort participates in industry conferences, Workshops, and panel discussions. Being involved in industry associations and professional organizations such as RSA also adds credibility to the company’s thought leadership efforts.
Recognition
Collar Talent Group takes pride in their innovative operations and enjoys doing things better. Their relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence has been recognized by industry leaders. Winning the Thought Leadership Award 2023 has been another addition to the bucket. Speaking about the significant achievement, Ephram shares, “It is a testament to the impact and influence of our efforts in the industry. It means that our commitrment to providing valuable insights, innovative solutions, and thought-provoking content has been recognized and appreciated by our peers, clients, and the broader community.
A Leader Par Excellence
Ephram is a prolific leader who has seamlessly navigated the realms of entrepreneurship. With a remarkable journey spanning over three decades and an impressive repertoire of expertise, Ephram has left a significant mark in the industry. His experience combined with the wealth of knowledge has provided the team the relevant exposure to di fferent situations, challenges, and outcomes. This accumulated knowledge has helped the group make well-infomed decisions, considering both the potential risks and opportunities atevery turn.
Having navigated through diverse challenges throughout his career, Ephramdraws from his expertise to find effective solutions and adapt strategies to changing circumstances. “1 think that experience and expertise are corners tones of a successful leadership journey Ephram elaborates, “They equip leaders with the knowledge, skills, and insights needed to steer their organizations towards sustainable growth and prosperity. However, it is also essential for leaders to stay open to continuous learning and development, as the business landscape and industry trends can evolve rapidly.”
Comprehensive Suite of Recruitment Services
Collar Talent Group is committed to delivering exceptional talent acquisition solutions and a comprehensive suite of recrutment services that meet and exceed client expectations. The company has established an extension of the brand to go above and beyond the benchmark in the industry.
As a leading provider of national recruitrment, employment, and training services, Collar Talent Group takes pride in being the go-to resource for bridging the employment gap and fostering opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait slander people to flourish within the Australian workforce.
The mission is to empower candidates, apprentices, and trainees by offering flexible, supportive, and industry-leading group training solutions that enable them to upskill and stay ahead of curent industry trends.
“In a few years from now, as CEO of Collar Talent Group, I would be leading at the forefront of innovation and excellence.”
Culture of integrity and innovation
Deeply ingrained in the company’s ethos is their focus on innovation and integrity. They priontise the values of collaboration, accountability, respect and makes it a point to set clear expectations and standards for behaviour to the team
Ephram believes, providing opportuni tes for open communication and feedback is critical to building a culture of integrity and innovation. Team members should feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns, and leaders should actively listen and respond to feedback
He elaborates, “Recognising and rewarding behavior that aligns with our company values of integrity and innovation is essential in my opirnon. I encourage our Collar leaders to acknowledge and celebrate their team when they demonstrate these behaviors and contribute to a positive team culture”
Expertise has facilitated innovation and creativity within Collar Talent Group. Ephram adds, “We have leaders with deep knowledge of our industry who have ceased opportunities for disruption and improvenent and are consistently inspiring their team members to think outside the box and explore new ideas”
Proactive approach to technological trends
Technology has revolutionised the way recruitment agencies operate, making processes more efficient, data-driven, and candidate-centric. Collar Talent Group has been constantly embracing cutting-edge technologies to maintain their competitive edge and enhance customer expenence.
They have heavily invested in software and technology that automates many of the administratve tasks, such as timesheet and invoice processing. They have implennented this software to a number of major Contracts which has reduced the need for manual data entry and the risk of errors, saving time and money for not only Collar Talent Group, but also for the clients who they use these automation tools for.
Automation has also allowed consultants to process large volumes of data quickly and efficiently in case of urgent job requests to improve the overall productivity of the Recruitnent team and reduce the time and resources required for such tasks.
ATS and CRM software’s have beconme an essential tool for recruitment agencies. It helps manage candidate databases, track the hiring process, and collaborate effectively among team members. The centralised CRM system allows to track and manage all aspects of the recruitment process. This reduces duplication of efforts and ensure that the recruitnent process is efficient and effective.
Social media and professional networking platforms are a considerable focus at Collar Talent Group, as they play a crucial role in sourcing candidates. The team leverages these platformns to connect with passive job seekers and build relatonships within the niche talent communities.
Overcoming Industry Pain Points
With 22 years within the recrutment industry, Ephram has noticed several pain points that hinder the efficiency and effectiveness of the hiring process.
Talent shortages are a major challenge. Finding skilled and qualified candidates for certain roles can be challenging, especially in niche industries or high denand fields. Over the years, the team at Collar Talent Group has built a Vast network of candidates across diverse industries, allowing them to tap into a pool of potential talent quickly.
Bias and diversity issues are another common problem in the recruitment industry. Unconscious bias in the hiring process can lead to a lack of diversity within the organization. Collar Talent Group is comnmitted to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Recruiters often a significant amount of tinme on manual administrative tasks like resume screening and interview scheduling. Collar Talent Group leverages cutingedge Al-driven tools and applicant tracking systens to streamline and expedite the hiring process, identifying top candidates quickly.
Future Vision
Al will play an increasingly vital role in automating repetitive tasks, allowing recruiters to focus on strategic decisiomaking and building relationships with clients and candidates. Advanced Al algorithms will enhance candidate svourcing.
Looking ahead, Collar Talent Group will continue to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. They will acively support candidates in upskilling and reskilling efforts. The agency will partner with training organizations and offer resources to equip candidates with relevant skills for future job opportunities.
Ephram is optimistic about the future. “In a few years from now, as CEO of Collar Talent Group, I would be leading at the forefront of innovation and excellence. Our agency would be recogized as a thought leader in the industry, known for pioneering new recruitment practices and setting high standards for candidate and client satisfaction. We would have solidified our position as a trusted partner for organizations of all sizes, delivering tailored recruitment solutions that address their unique needs and challenges.
He is passionate about embracing global talent acquisition strategies for Collar Talent Group. “We already have staff operating from Indonesia; however, we have our sights set on Canada and the UK in the coming year or so,” he shares.
“I envision a team of highly skilled and passionate professionals who are committed to making a positive impact in the lives of candidates and the success of our clients. Together, we would have continued to build a strong global network, connecting talent with opportunities across various industries and geographies.”
